Bid'ah (Innovation in Religion)
An innovation or addition to religion that has no basis in the Quran or Sunnah.
Bid'ah (plural: bida') refers to any innovation or addition to Islamic practice that has no basis in the Quran, the Prophet's Sunnah, or the practice of the rightly guided caliphs. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "Every innovation is bid'ah, and every bid'ah is misguidance" (Sahih Muslim).
In Sunni Islam, there are two main viewpoints on bid'ah. The stricter position, represented by Ibn Taymiyyah and the Hanbali tradition, considers all religious innovations as prohibited. The more nuanced position, represented by Imam al-Shafi'i and al-Nawawi, divides bid'ah into five categories: obligatory, recommended, permissible, discouraged, and prohibited.
Regarding prayer, bid'ah is often discussed in connection with adding acts or formulations not transmitted from the Prophet (peace be upon him). Imam Malik said: "Whoever introduces a bid'ah in Islam and considers it good, claims that Muhammad (peace be upon him) has failed in his message."
Related terms
Eid al-Fitr (Festival of Breaking the Fast)
The Islamic holiday that marks the end of Ramadan's fasting.
Ijtihad (Independent Legal Reasoning)
The independent interpretive effort to derive legal rules from the Islamic sources.
Khutbah (Sermon)
The Islamic sermon delivered before the Friday prayer and at the Eid prayers.
Masjid al-Nabawi (The Prophet's Mosque)
The Prophet Muhammad's mosque in Medina, the second holiest mosque in Islam.
Madhhab (School of Law)
An Islamic school of law with its own methodology for legal derivation from the sacred sources.
Nisf Sha'ban (Mid-Sha'ban)
The 15th of Sha'ban — the birthday of Imam al-Mahdi and a night of forgiveness.